i was talking to someone (on a plane of all places) about veganism the other week. it was a good conversation, the person was open minded and asking questions without attacking me, which makes a change.
however, when i was explaining why i didn't drink milk, he understood the reasoning, particularly regarding leather etc etc., but he had a question that I couldn't answer. perhaps someone else can so i don't have this 'hole' in my knowledge that someone can trip me up on next time!
I was explaining that how, in order to produce milk, cows have to be pregnant, just like humans, and how this is a stressful process for them, with baby removed (and then the leather/supporting the meat industry off shoots etc etc). however, he asked why, once they've been pregnant once, cows couldn't just stay being milked without being reimpregnated, just like humans who continue to breastfeed their children beyond infancy do.
I answered that it wasn't really a question of welfare for me, but that aside I presumed that cows are more productive if they are pregnant more frequently and also there is the bonus by-product of the poor wee calf, who presumably sometimes will go into milk production if it is a female, and has other by products if not.
Is this correct?
amanda
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